Club-foot apparatus



l (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. BURNS. 1

-oLUB FooT APPARATUS. No. 265,942. Patented Oct. 17, 1882.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. J. BURNS.

CLUB FOOT APPARATUS.

No. 265,942;I

Patented Oct. 17, 1882.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEErcE.

JAMES BURNS, OF JOLIET, ILLINOIS.

CLUB-FOOT APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 265,942, dated October 17, 1882.

(No model.)

To all whom it 'may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES BURNS, of thecity of Joliet, in Vill county, and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in an Apparatus for the Treatment and (lure ot Club-Feet and Crooked or Bow Legs. the construction and operation ot which I will proceed to explain, reference being had tothe annexed drawings and the letters and figures thereon, making a part ot' this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view; Fig. 2, a front View of the foot below the line 1 and a vertical sectional view online 3, Fig. 3, lookingin the direction ofthe arrow; Fig. 3, a cross-sec tion on line 2, Fig. l, looking down; Fig. 4, a side elevation; and Fig. 5, a cross;section on line 4 of Fig. 4, looking down.

rIhis invention is an apparatus for the purpose of the treatment and cure of tulipes varas, or any variety of deformity commonly called club-foot, without cutting the tendons or cords or causing pain by producing a constant tension against the contraction of the muscles, in the manner more particularly hereinafter described, and for straightening crooked legs, and a splint for crooked limbs.

tet'erring to the drawings, K represents the sole of the shoe, having raised sides J., counter H, and upper L, attached to the sides by screws W, by means of which the upper L maybe adjusted up or down to regulate its pressure. on the foot to assist in straightening it when desired. The side plates, E, connect the shoe to the upright shaft R, having cog-teeth to engage with the pinion V, so that by rotating said pinion the shoe may be elevated or .lowered, or one side elevated more than the other, as shown in Fig. 2. The shaftsR are provided with hinged joints j to permit such tilting to one side of theshoe,and so that said shaftmay bow outward to conform to the shape of the ankle.

The joint g is intended to be opposite the ankle-joint, so the toe of the-shoe may be elevated or lowered. The slide j is intended to cover thejointj when itis desired to bold said shatt R straight at thatjoint. The lower end ofthe calf splint C attaches to a circular plate, F, which nearly encircles the leg immediately above the ankle-joint. This plate or band has both the upper and lower edge turned to inclose a similar plate, S, that slides annularly on theoutersurl'ace ot' the plateFin the grooves thus formed, as shown in Figs. l and 4., The upper and lower edges ot' the plate F are provided with segmental toothed racks R2, as shown in Figs. I and 4, into which the pinions P, attached to the sliding plate S, mesh. The frames S', containing and supporting the pinions V, are also attached firmly to the side ot' the plate S, as shown in Figs. 1,2,and 4. By applying a key to the shat'tX ofthe pinions P; Fig.l,said pinions may revolve and carry with them the plate S. As the shafts B. are attached to said plate S, also, by means of their passing up through the frame S', they are carried forward with said plate S, and by this means the shoe is rotated to give extension to the contracted muscles of the t'oottby degrees, as it may need, until it gains its natural position and shape. The rotation ot' the shoe of course is gradual, a little at a time, to finally extend the muscles of the foot or ankle that maybe contracted to their natural extent. As no springs are used, the extension is unyielding, so the muscle cannot retract at any time or to any degree. The calf-splint G is provided with the ordinary flaps, D, laced together along on the shin, as shown, to hold the whole rmly on the leg. rIhe legis inclosed above the knee by the thighsplint C, having similar flaps and lacings as the caltsplints C', to hold it firmly to the leg, and the two splints C and C are hinged together opposite the kneejoint, at d, by the plates B and d. The plate B is constructed in two parts, B and B', hinged together at b, and extends upward to the hipjoint, where it hinges at e to the plate or band A in the belt A, which encircles the body about over the hipjoint. The, joint b allows the leg a side motion, and thejoint e allows it a forward-and-backward motion. The plate Ats over the head ot' the femur and reaches from the hip to the groin, and is inclosed in a belt, A, thatis fastened around the body. The belt A, being connected, as shown, to thesplints C and C', assists veryI materially to prevent their rotation on the leg, so that when the shoe is rotated, as stated, the pressure against the foot is trm and unyielding, not permitting the foot to regain its contracted position, as in the case where sprin gs are used.

Fig. 8 shows the manner in which the foot is rotated until it is brought around straight, as shown by the dotted lines. The upper part ot' the shoe is held on the raised sides of the shoe by means of screws W, (shown iu Fig. 4,) so that it maybe adjusted up or down to compress the foot more or less, as may be desired, by turning the screws in or out.

To straighten the leg should it bow in or out, an inner plate, 0, is used, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, at the side of the leg. This plate o attaches at either side to the straps aand a'. Au additional splint, N, on the opposite side of the leg, supports the shafta?, upon which the straps al are Wound up and held bythe ratchet Viaud springpawl a3, While the straps a are held by the rod a5 on the splint N. By winding up the straps a on the shaft a2 as much pressure may be given the plate e against the leg to straighten it or hold it in place, if broken, as may be desired.

Having thus described my invention. Whatl claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows, to wit:

l. The combination of the plate F, having the segmental toothed racks R2, plate S, having the pinions P and V, frame S', and toothed shaft It, hinged at g to the shoe, and having` the hinge-joint j, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In an apparatus for club-feet, the toothed side shafts, lt, having;` thejointj, in combination with the pinion V, for the purpose set forth.

3. In an apparatus for club-feet, the upper L of the shoe, adjustable up or down by means of the screws W, as set forth.

4. The combination of the plate o, straps a and a', splint N, shaft a2, ratchet aft, and pawl a3, as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a club-foot apparatus, the combination ofthe plate d, plates Band B', hinged together at b, splints c and c', flaps D and D', plate A',

vand band A, as and for the purpose set forth.

JAMES BURNS. Witnesses:

Trios. H. HUToHINs, WM. J. HUCroHINs.v 

